Team building is a challenging process that can ultimately make or break the success of a project. To improve the experience and performance of your group, consider discussing the following questions early on with your team:
When starting off in a new group, you might find that it may take a while to "gel" and get into a rhythm. A beneficial framework to consider is Bruce Tuckman's Five Stages of Group Development. These stages include:
Understanding the behavioral patterns of group development may better help team leaders positively deal with issues as they arise, and move towards a more productive and effective teamwork strategies.
Sources: Tuckman, Bruce W. “Developmental Sequence in Small Groups.” Psychological bulletin 63.6 (1965): 384–399. Web. Retrieved from Purdue Libraries ; Tuckman, Bruce W, and Mary Ann C Jensen. “Stages of Small-Group Development Revisited.” Group & organization management 2.4 (1977): 419–427. Web. Retrieved from Purdue Libraries
When meeting with your group members, it's useful to identify a preferred video conferencing or instant messaging platform for group meetings and discussions. Below are a list of options to choose from:
When group members are balancing school, work, and personal commitments, finding a time to meet my be challenging. Fortunately, there are multiple free tools that can help you find a time that works for everyone: